Mail-bag catcher



(No Model.)

A. B. WOOD.

MAIL BAG OATOHER.

' No. 452,300. Patented May 12,1891.

- J/VVJi/VIOZ? j i iujpnfi AI A v E I Z Z I I I i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANSON BURLINGAME \VOOD, OF LYN CHBURG, VIRGINIA.

MAIL-BAG CATCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 452,300, dated May 12, 1891.

Application filed November 25 1890. Serial No. 372,614. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANSON BURLINGAME IVOOD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lynchburg, in the county of Campbell and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in-Mail-Bag Catchers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to apparatus for receiving and delivering mail from postal cars while the latter are in motion and aims to obviate projecting arms when the device is notin use, and to secure a positive and certain delivery and reception of the mail with the least possible wear and tear on the mailpouches and with the greatest possible dispatch and convenience to the clerks.

The improvement consists of the novel features, which will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and which are shown in the annexed drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the application of the invention and the relative disposition of the catcher and the crane. Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the catcher, showing it reversed and folded. Fig. 3 is a crosssection of the shaft and the reversible head to which the catcher-arm is attached, taken just in front of the lug which fastens the said head to'the shaft.

which secures the movable finger to the said arm.

The shaft 0 is journaled at its ends in the bearings D, which are secured to the jambs of the door A of a postal car. The head 13 is pivotally connected at one end to the shaft 0 midway of the ends thereof, so as to turn from one side to the other, and is provided in its diametrically-opposite sides with channels I) b, which form seats for and receive the shaft 0. The transverse opening Z) near the outer or free end of the head, admits either of the lugs a, that are provided on the shaft 0, and which are apertured to receive the pin Z2 which fastens the free end of the head to the said shaft. The catcher-arm E is of usual construction and is secured to the head in Fig.4 is a cross-section of the delivery-arm, taken through the bolt any desired manner. The operating-handle F is attached to the head and projects therefrom in an opposite direction to the catcher-arm E. The delivery-arm G is also secured to the head B, and its outer end recurves and is provided with the clamp g, which extends in an opposite direction to the catcher-arm E. A corresponding clamp g is provided near the outer end of the catcher-arm and extends in the same direction as the clamp g. Collars H and II are secured on the shaft 0, near each end thereof, and rubber or yielding bumpers I I are interposed between the said brackets D and the said collars H and H. The end of the head B touches'either collar H or H in either of its positions, and, the shaft O having a limited longitudinal movement in the bearings, obviously the shock caused'by the catcher taking up a pouch will be compensated for by the bumper that is nearer the free end of-t-he head B.

The delivery-arm J, pivoted to the door jamb, is connected by link K with arm h of collar H in sucha niannerthat the arm J will fold up to the side of the car when the catcher folds, and will be projected when the catcher is extended and in position for use. The clamp on the outer end of the arm J is composed of the spring L, which is secured to the under side of the arm by the boltsZ Z, and the finger L, which is secured to the upper side of the arm by the said bolt Z in such a manner as to turn to the right or to the left. The inner end of the pivoted finger L is concaved on its under side to fit the upper conveXed surface of the delivery-arm J, whereby the said finger is held in an operative position under normal conditions. By having the opposite faces or sides of the arm J and the finger L curved in cross-section the finger L will be held in an operative position against accidental displacement, in that a positive force will have to be brought to bear to turn the said finger L on the bolt Z against the tension of the spring L.

The crane, which may be of ordinary construction and which is shown to fully illus-w oted near the center of thepost and having the linger o pivoted on its outer end and provided with the double catcher l.

The operation of the invention is as follows: The pouch Q to be talcen up by the passing car is suspended from the linger n, and is steadied by the linger 0 being thrust through the lower ring, as shown in Fig. 1. In this position the catcher l will receive the pouch from the ear. The pouch 11 to be delivered from the car is suspended from either of the clamps {/Ol' g, according to the position of the catcher, and from the one that is directly above the delivery-arm J, the ring at the lower end of the pouch being held by the clamp on the end of the said delivery-arm J. The car going in the direction of the arrow, the pouch R will be caught up by the catcher I? of the crane at the station, and the pouch Q will be taken up by the catcher on the car. When the pouch Q is disengaged from the crane, the lever N, as also the arm 0, will fold to the post M and be out of the way. The clerk on the car will let go the operating-handle F, which, owing to weight of catcher-arm, will be brought into a vertical position and fold the catcher and the delivery-arm and bring the pouch within the car or within easy reach. It will be observed that the several The channels in the catcher-110ml receive the shalt t) and effect a lirm connection between the catcher and the said shal't in either position of the catcher.

.l laving thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination, with the shalt, ol' the catcher reversibly pivoted to the shaft and having channels in its diametrically-opposite sides to receive the side shaft in either position of the catcher, and means for securing the catcher to the shaft, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the shaftand the reversible catcher pivoted to the said shaft, of the delivery-arm G, having a clamp g, and the clamp 5 on the catcher-arm, substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

3. The combination, with the shaft, the reversible catcher pivotally connected with the shaft, the delivery-arm G, connected with the catcher-head and having clamp g, and the clamp g on the catcher-arm, of the deliveryarin J, pivoted to the car, and connections between the said arm and the shaft 0, substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I allix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ANSON BURLINGAME \VOO'I').

\Yitnesses:

W. W. LARKIN, ll. E. De Win. 

